Collapsible bottle box



Marchl, 193.1. .0. A. FLAGsTAD COLLAPSIBLE BOTTLE BOX Filed NOV. 30. 1928 INV ENTOR March 10, v1931. o. A. FLAGSTAD 1,795,942 a coLLAPslBLE BoTTLEox Filed Nov. 3o. 1928 2 Sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR OSCAR 1 @STAD ,SYM

TORNEY Patented Mar. 10, 1931 UNITE STATES PArr-.aiu` AerFicsl Y oscAR A. FLAGsTAD, or MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, AssIeNoa or NINnTY-rrvn PER I. CENT 'l IIE`OI4D|NGr CRATE AND BOX COMPANY, OFVIINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A

CORPORATION OF MINNIESO'lA.

coLLAPsIBLE Boflrrnn,'isoxk Application mea November 3o, 1928. serial No. 322,771. 'o

This invention relates to collapsible carriers, and the primary object iswto provide `a foldable metal box that is particularly designed as a milk bottle carrier, and, as

will stack neatly when `filled or set up, andV which may be folded up into compact units, l5 when empty. Further and more specific objects will be disclosed in the course of the following specification, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, in which :y

Fig. 1 is a perspective view 'of the box as '20 set up ready for use.

F iig.'2 is a transverse sectional elevation of the box, set up.

Fig. 3 is alhorizontal'section on the line Y, in Fig. 2. y y n Fig. 4; is a sectional plan 'view similar kto Fig. 3, but showing the box in a partly col'- lapsed position. y I

`Figf is a plan or topedg'e view of 'the box as seen when fully collapsed.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail perspective view showing the construction of certain portions of one of the wire frames'. y 'l Referring to the drawings more par'- ticularly and by reference characters, A and f B designate opposite side ,sections of a crate or box having end sections C and D, and a two-part bottom section E, allI of Avvhi'ch'sections are hingedly` connectedy together, and

foldable with respect to feach other in a.

@ai Stay stress.. The ends ,of the wires s and 49 are preferably looped about the trame 'i Y vvres`7,fand at their intersections they are 'preferably spot Welded together, 4'thus mal;- ing each section, A vand B, a yrigid network of crossed and connected wires. The top run of yeach Jframe wire^7V is also provided withl a pair 4of integrally formed, outwardly and upwardly offset ltongues 10,

which are so constructedand arranged that they will 'snugly receive the bottom of va sim'ilarbox and thus vpermit a rigid stacking of the boxes one upon the other. i

Theen'ds ofthe frames 7 serve as pintles for the yend Ysections C and D, and at twoV diagonally opposed'corners ofthe vbox these frame ends are oiset inwardly, as atv 11, so that when the box is collapsed, as in Fig.' 5, there vwill be ainplejro'om between the sections A, vC and' l), B, to accommodate the bottomfsection yparts E and certain partitioning wires. It will also be notedthat at the remaining or other diagonal cornersof the box, the 'frames 7 are slightly offset outwardly,- as at l2, (see Figs. l, 3, 5.and 6),the object of which also is to provide space Vfor the partitioning wires by holding 'the en d sectioi'ls slightly out when the box is collTr lapsed. Pivotally "secured to the frame vof thesection A is a. small spring clip 13 that is so arranged'that it may be snapped over the frame B when the box is collapsed, -`so as to vreleasably retain 'it in that Vcondition'. The en'd' sections C `and D are preferably `formedv of sheet metal, the vertical edges of which are curled or turned about the vertical en'd bars of the side sections to form vahinge connection therewith. The bottom edges 'of the end sections are beaded, as at 14;, 'to Agivethem rigidity. At its vupper edge each end section is bent over a 'handle rforming wire A15, as at 16, which handles also serve, like the 'elements 10, as stacking guides and holders,y

A pair of spaced vertical rods orwires 17 4 are spot welded, or otherwise suitably secured, to the outer faces of the end sections C and D, and adjacent to parts of these wires the end sections are provided with slots or openings 18 and 19. A pair of longitudinally disposed division or partitioning wires 20 have eyes at their ends which extend through the openings 18 to pivotally fasten to the wires 17, and a similar pair of wires 21 spaced below the wires 20, are arranged to pivotally and slidably engage the wires 17 through the slots 19. r1`he wires 20 are crossed by transversely extending wires 22 which rest thereon, and a center wire 28, which is disposed under the wires 20. These wires 22 and 28 have eyes at their ends which pivotally engage the vertical wires 9 of the side sections A and B, and are prevented from dropping below their predetermined horizontal positions, by the upper horizontal wires 8 of the side sections.

vThe primary reason for osetting the wires 22 and 23 with respect to each other, i. e., the first above and the latter below, the wires 20, is to provide clearance for the wires when the box is folded together. Similar transverse wires 24 and 25 cross the wires 21, two below and one above the latter, and comple-V ment the wires 22 and 23 to form transverse partitions in the box. It will thus be seen that all the wires 20-25 cooperate 'to form chambers (twelve in the present instance) for the reception of the bottles.

The vbottom section comprises a pair of rectangular sheet metal members 26 and 2'? thatrespectively pivot to the lower bars of the side frames 7, and may be swung from the lower positions, as shown in Figs. 1 3, to the raised positions shown in Fig. ll. lVhen in their lower or horizontal positions these bottom members rest on a pair of transverse wires 28 having slotted loops at their ends for pivoting engagement with the side sections. This bottom, like the end sections, is preferably made of sheet metal and is provided with punched down dish portions 29 for receiving and positioning the lower ends of the bottles. These dish portions are also provided with perforations 80 for drain purposes. Y

Then the box is to be folded together the bottom members 26 and 27 are first turned upwardly, and as this is done they will engage the vcross wires 24C to move them upwardl together with the wires 21 and 25l as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The box can vnow be folded,throughv a parallelogram, as seen in Fig. 1, to the complete- 4ly folded condition, indicated in Fig. 5, at

which time the spring clip 13 may be ap-y plied. To set up the crate it is only` necessary to release the clip, expand the box to its rectangular position, and drop it upon the floor, whereupon the bottom members and wires 21, 24, and 25 will drop into place.

It is understood that suitable modications may be made in the general design and structural details of the invention as herein shown, provided, however, that said collapsed, bottom forming members hingedly secured for swinging movement up into the box before the sections are folded and partitioning members extending longitudinally and transversely within the box, certain of said partitioning members being slidably secured to the box and upwardly movable to permit said upward swinging movement of the bottom forming members. K

2'. A collapsible box comprising hingedly connected sections and partitioning members dividing the box into vertical compartments, certain of said members being slidably connected to said -ections to facilitate collapsing of the box. Y

8. A collapsible box comprising hingedly connected sections and crossed partitioning members hingedly attached to certain of said sections and dividing the box into verti cal, substantially rectangular compartments.

A collapsible box comprising hingedly connected sections and crossed partitioning inem ers dividing the box into vertical, substantially rectangular compartments, said partitioning members consisting of longitudinally and transversely extending wires hingedly securedv at their ends to the said box sections.

5. A collapsible box comprising hingedly Vconnected sections and crossed partitioning members dividing the box intorvertical, substantially rectangular compartments, said partitioning members consisting of longitudinally and transversely extending wires secured at their ends to the said box sections, and some of which wires are 'vertically liftable to facilitate collapsing of the box.

6. A collapsible box having upwardly foldable bottom members, upper and lower sets of partitioning wires dividing the box into vertical compartments, the lower set of saidV partitioning wires being liftable to permit the bottom members to be folded up.

7. A collapsible box having upwardly foldable bottom members, upper and lower sets of'partitioning wires dividing the box into vertical compartments, the lower set of said partitioning wires being liftable to permit the bottom members to be folded up, said bottom members havin@ depressions registering with the bottom ends of the said compartments; i

Aest

8. A collapsibleV box comprising wire frame side sections, sheet metal end sections, upwardly foldable sheet metal bottom members, and crossed wires secured at their ends to said sections toV form partitions within the box, certain of said wires being liftable within predetermined limits to permit the vupward folding of the bottom members. f

9. A collapsible box comprising hingedly connected side and end sections, avpair of bottom forming members respectively hinged to the side sections for folding movement upwardly thereagainst, and cross members independent of the endl sections and secured to the side sections intermediate their ends to serve as tie bars and for normally supporting the bottom forming members.

10. A collapsible box comprising hingedly connected side and end sections, al pair of bottom forming members lrespectively hinged to the side sections forw folding movement upwardly thereagainst, and cross members secured to the side sections for normally supporting the bottom forming members, said side and end sections being respectively connected by wires forming partitions within lthe box.

11. A collapsible box comprising box forming sections hingedly connected by a pair of oppositely disposed rectangular wire frames, said frames being each reversely offset, at opposite ends, as and for the purpose described.

12. A collapsible box comprising box forming sections hingedly connectedby a pair of oppositely disposed rectangular wire frames, said frames each being provided with outward and upwardly struck nesting members.

13. A collapsible box having wire frame side sections hingedly connecting the end sections, said frames being inwardly offset at two diagonally opposed corners of the box, and outwardly offset at the other two corners.

14. A collapsible box having wire frame side sections hingedly connecting the end sections, said frames being inwardly offset at two diagonally opposed corners of the box, and outwardly offset at the other two corners, said inward offsets being greater than the outward offsets. Y

15. A collapsible box comprising side and end sections hingedly connected at the four corners of the box, bottom forming members hinged to the side sections and foldable upwardly intothe box, crossed partitioning wires pivotally secured at their ends to the sections and adapted to be contained between the side and end sections when the box is collapsed.

16. A collapsible box comprising side and end sections hingedly connected at the four parts together when I 

